


Stay

by maebyrutherford (maeberutherford)



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Comfort/Angst, F/M, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-01
Updated: 2015-05-01
Packaged: 2018-03-26 14:07:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3853465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maeberutherford/pseuds/maebyrutherford
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr prompt - Dragon Age 100 Challenge</p><p>Night, Cullen x Inquisitor</p><p>Somewhere between Haven and Skyhold, Cullen is there for the Herald.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay

Night fell over their camp, the horrors at Haven still fresh on everyone’s mind. They had been walking for days now, following the apostate elf, and the people were exhausted. Hope was not lost, but it was a precarious, fragile thing.

Cullen sat by the fire with the others, trying not to dwell on the fact that they were trusting Solas with their very lives, and succeeding when his mind went to thoughts of her.

She was healing, better, but still needed attention. She had already retired at the urging of Mother Giselle, and he felt an almost magical force pulling him in her direction.

As if on cue, he noticed movement coming from the Herald’s tent. Mother Giselle was leaving.

Go to her, he thought. It is the least you can do. And another thought followed, more practical, reaching; Perhaps there is something she needs, something she didn’t want to trouble the Reverend Mother with?

As casually as he could manage, he rose from the log and strode to the tent. He felt the others watching him, but nothing could discourage him, not now.

“Herald?” Cullen called from outside the flap, parting it slightly but not looking inside so as not to invade her privacy. “Forgive me; I thought I might check in on you before I retire for the evening.”

“Please, Commander, do come in.” She sounded alert and cheerful.

He found her lying on her cot looking flushed and beautiful, nestled snugly underneath several furs. The small fire in the brazier kept the tent warm enough. “I, er, hope I’m not disturbing you.”

She shook her head slightly, beaming at him, the flickering candlelight dancing in her large eyes.

The Herald of Andraste had been utterly broken, nearly frozen to death, and here she was warming his belly with her smile, as if she were the one who needed to comfort him.

“Cullen,” she reached out to him, beckoning, and moved her legs over to one side to make room. In one fluid motion he took her outstretched hands in his and sat on the cot. She closed her eyes briefly and hummed in appreciation, her lips curved into a satisfied grin, their fingers entwining, her legs shifting to rest against his lower back.

They sat like this for a few moments, holding hands and watching each other, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for a Commander and his Herald to do.

When he spoke, he realized that he had been smiling, too.

“How are you feeling?” Without thinking, he reached forward and brushed her hair away from her forehead, letting his gloved fingers trail down the side of her face. He desperately wanted to touch her; he imagined she felt like warm velvet.

“Hm, much better.” She leaned into his touch, her leg sliding against his back and sending chills up his spine, her smile broadening.

Cullen was breathless, woozy, and his analytical mind began to worry. This was wrong, wasn’t it? He jerked his hand away from her face.

“You need your rest. I should go.” He began to rise.

“No!” She sat up, her eyes going wide, her hand holding onto his with a surprising strength. “Please, Cullen, don’t go. Stay.”

Her eyes were fearful now, rimmed with tears. She pulled him down gently, slowly, until he lay at her side. He didn’t resist.

“Please.” A single tear dropped from her eye, she quickly wiped it away. “I’m sorry, the nightmares…I cannot bear another night alone. Please, stay with me tonight.” She grabbed handfuls of his cloak and held on for dear life, her eyes searching his for an answer.

Cullen’s heart ached for her. She couldn’t have known that his nights were also full of terrors, and he would not abandon her. Not again.

“Of course, I will stay. Anything you need, I’m here for you.” He sat up and dismantled his armor as fast as he could, tossing it into a heap in the corner. Once he was down to his linens, he slipped under the furs and wrapped her in his arms.

Her body melted into his embrace, shuddering as sobs wracked her small frame, the tears coming freely now. She clutched the fabric of his tunic and buried her face against his chest so forcefully, as if she was trying to climb inside him.

“Shh, it’s alright,” he whispered, stroking her hair. “It’s going to be alright now. Everything will be alright.”

There was so much more he wanted to say, but he just repeated that mantra over and over. A prayer for her, a prayer for him, a prayer for everyone.

**Author's Note:**

> This segment of the game has been written about countless times, but apparently it still brings me major feelz. It was all I could think of when I got the prompt.


End file.
